1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to flying saucer or disc toys, and more particularly to flying disc toys having a manually engagable tether attached thereto for varying and controlling the flight path of the flying disc.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
During the last twenty-five years or so, aerodynamic toys to be thrown through the air, particularly flying saucers for use in throwing games, have become very popular For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,678 to Edward E. Headrick, issued Dec. 26, 1967 shows a particular design of flying saucer having extremely good flying characteristics when launched by hand. Once the flying saucer is launched, however, it is no longer possible to control or vary the flight path. This limits the modes of play and accordingly reduces the desirability of owning such a device.
Attempts have been made to control the flight of the flying saucer (or "flying disc" as the device is more popularly known by providing a tether in the form of a nylon line having a loop in one end engagable through a central opening in the flying disc. The tethered disc concept is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,295 issued Aug. 24, 1976 to William D. Seymour. This tethered structure is limited in what can be done to control the flight path, mainly by limiting the length of the flight away from the operator before reversing the direction of flight back to the operator. The Seymour structure also facilitates retrieving the disc if it does not make it back to the operator in the course of its flight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,946, issued May 14, 1985 to Michael R. Rodarte shows a flying disc construction having an annular roller bearing at its center, with the axis of rotation of the roller bearing coincident with the axis of rotation of the disc body. This is supposed to make it possible for the user to spin the device on an upwardly pointed finger, with the bearing acting to reduce friction between the finger and the spinning disc. Rodarte does not show nor suggest the use of a tether.
The term "prior art" as used herein or in any statement made by or on behalf of the application means only that any document or thing referred to as prior art bears, directly or inferentially, a date which is earlier than the effective date of this application.